Ex-FIFA official speaks out on World Cup scandal

Former FIFA General Secretary Michel Zen- Ruffinen told AFP that he had the impression some FIFA executive committee members "could be influenced" in the race to host the World Cup.

Britain's The Sunday Times reported that Zen-Ruffinen had identified who could take money in exchange for votes on bids to host football's World Cup in 2018 and 2022 with undercover reporters who were posing as lobbyists.

Zen-Ruffinen, now a lawyer and football agent, told AFP he was outraged at being tricked and insisted that he had not directly introduced those members to the fake lobbyists who claimed they were working for the US bid.

Nonetheless he said that there was an underlying issue that still needed to be tackled.